World Suicide Prevention Day & 9/11: 4 tips for managing distress

This will be a meaningful weekend for many of us. It also has the potential to be difficult.

As we observe World Suicide Prevention Day, and as we remember the loss of so many on September 11, 2001, it's important that we keep ourselves safe and healthy.

These simple things will go a long way:

1. Be a little more aware of yourself and your reactions to things. If you find yourself more sad or angry or irritable or whatever, it's OK, but if it starts to bother you or if others ask you about it, take a break.

1a. Be a little more aware of the reactions of those about whom you care and pass along this advice.

2. Plan on spending some time with people for whom you care and who feel the same about you. If you can't make plans, give them a call just to talk or if you need some help with the first thing above.

3. Have handy the numbers of people that you can talk to if things start getting away from you. These should be family or friends, not professionals.